5 best logo design tools to try in 2023

Your logo is often the first, and most lasting element of your site that your website visitors see, so it’s important to be mindful of how it makes your visitors feel, and how to match the expectations they may have. 

Several elements distinguish a logo that is so-so from one that is brand-defining. Whether you’re creating one yourself with a logo design tool or you’re contracting a design studio, here are the elements you should focus on: 

• The right colors
• An eye-catching typography
• A sound structure
• The right fit for the brand

Before you start exploring design tools, it’s imperative to start with your company’s message and mission. Then, decide how to convey that message in a single, memorable graphic.

Our guide breaks down logo design tools into five categories that are suitable for individuals, small business owners, and freelancers. They vary based on your budget, skill set, and target audience. It doesn’t matter if you’re coming to the table with a concept in mind or if you’re starting from scratch. Features you should look for include:

• Intuitive interface
• Multiple image formats and resolutions
• Image and template libraries
• Branding and marketing options
• Flexibility for other uses, such as swag
• Excellent color palette with black and white choices, too

Let’s get started. 

Best logo design tool if you’re on a budget: LogoMakr  

LogoMakr makes logo creation easy from the start. The interface contains easily identified tools for six design categories: graphics, shapes, colors, outlines, opacity, and fonts. With LogoMakr, you can start from scratch with a graphic or begin with a design template to make a creative logo.

When starting with a design template, we found LogoMakr almost Photoshop-like in its toolset. We liked that the various layers are named, making it easy to work with each one. For example, clicking on the text in the layer menu brings up a dropbox of different categories of fonts, such as simple & modern or traditional (serif) choices. It’s an excellent way to match the logo design with the tone you want to set.

Choosing colors is a snap, too, with the fill menu displaying the hex if you have preset choices in mind.

Pricing  

LogoMakr’s strength lies in its user-friendly UI and exceptionally affordable pricing. 

They offer a free low-res logo option — which is great for personal and smaller-scale projects. However, if you use this option, they do require you to give credit to LogoMakr for any assets you create, and the company will own the trademark to your logo.  

You can get a high-resolution logo design for a one-time fee of $19 and take advantage of discounts for ordering multiple designs.

LogoMakr also offers custom services for users who prefer professional help with their logo.

Best logo design tool if you don’t know what you want: Looka

Instead of relying on you to come up with the look and feel of your logo, Looka uses your company name and industry to generate a plethora of logo designs.

Once you find something you like, you can then take it to the drawing board to customize each of the elements. The site also provides some suggestions to help you decide which logo to go with.

Looka isn’t just a design tool. It can also help create a branding kit for you to use for your website design, social media, business cards, presentations, and even invoices — helping you build brand identity across the board. It's a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to streamline the process with a consistent look and logo.

Pricing 

Looka offers two packages: a $20 Basic Logo-Only (PNG)  and a $65 Premium Logo-Only (SVG, EPS, PDG, and PNG) package. Brand kits are subscription-based at $96 and $192 with the latter including an AI-generated website based on your logo design.

Best logo design tool if you’re on mobile: Hatchful  

One of the barriers to using many logo design options is the lack of a robust mobile interface. Enter Hatchful. It enables users to create professional logos on mobile with a clean and intuitive interface and editor. 

It’s simple. To start you’re prompted with your industry. Then, you choose your style and what mediums you’re going to use for your logo. They then provide you with options to choose from. Once you select an option, you’re then taken to the editor where you can tweak the design to your heart’s content.  

Hatchful’s standout feature is that every logo package includes optimized images for various social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram. 

Pricing

Hatchful, like our other options, is free to use for all businesses, large or small. It’s worth noting that the package includes a high-resolution logo with unlimited revisions. That’s a helpful feature if you decide to rebrand down the road with a new logo.

Best logo design tool if you’re working with a team: Canva 

Canva differs from the other tools we’ve considered because of its versatility. Not only can you create a professional logo, but you can also use the web-based app for generating other projects. That includes presentations, book covers, social media posts, and posters. You can even use it for swag, like a t-shirt or mug with your custom logo. 

The site includes an impressive library of logo templates. Plus, Canva sorts logos by category, theme, and style to narrow down your choices. There’s also a blank document option if you want to start from scratch. 

Pricing 

Canva offers three pricing tiers: free, pro, and enterprise. The free option is great for individual creators. It provides 250,000+ free templates, 100+ design types, and hundreds of free photos and graphics. The pro option covers up to five team members and has an even larger library of templates, images, audio, and video content to choose from. 

The enterprise edition adds additional tools for collaboration and managing workflows that are great for large company teams. Unlike the other two plans, leaders are able to set permissions and editing privileges for their team on the enterprise plan. The pro and enterprise plans also include brand kits, making them an excellent value for a total marketing solution.

Best logo design tool if you have design skills: Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is the logo generator of choice if you have graphic design experience and want total control over your work. Illustrator is a robust program with a broad range of tools  — though there is a high learning curve. It’s an excellent choice if your creative needs go beyond logo design to other design elements like infographics, icons, or banners. 

Adobe Illustrator is also incredibly flexible. You can use the medium of your choice, which is a desirable feature for established brands that have guidelines in place for typography and colors. You can start from scratch or use templates to ignite the spark of inspiration.

Anyone who has used this software knows that it’s not a walk in the park — there’s a reason that certifications for proficiency exist. However, this is due in large part to how in-depth and powerful Illustrator is. There is an almost endless possibility in the things you can create.  

Pricing

Adobe Illustrator operates as a standalone installation on a variety of platforms, using a subscription-based model for access with two options. You can opt for the entire Creative Cloud suite at $629.87 a year or $55.64 monthly (for individuals). This is a great option if you are looking for a full creative toolkit beyond graphics and logos. 

You can also get Adobe Illustrator alone for $20.99 a month or $239.88 annually. That gets you the singular program for your desktop and iPad.

Create your best logo with the help of these tools

Creating a professional logo doesn’t have to be an insurmountable task. Many free or paid online options exist, no matter your skill level. There are options out there for whatever you need, whether it’s a budget-friendly, low-cost option or a full design suite.

When choosing a platform for creating your logo — it’s essential to fully understand your needs first. It’s not enough just to come up with the design. Understanding how the logo is implemented and how much you can get out of it will ensure that you make the best choice for yourself and your company.